Written Answers Thursday 28 January 2010

Scottish Executive

Air Services

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what negotiations it has had with the European Union to extend the Public Services Obligation contract for air services to Barra.

Stewart Stevenson: Under the relevant European Regulation, Public Service Obligation contracts can be awarded for up to four years. The Glasgow to Barra contract was awarded from 1 April 2009 until 31 March 2013.

Cancer

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the uptake of the Scottish Breast Screening Programme by the most deprived women, as defined by the Carstairs deprivation category, whose attendance is below 60%.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are several Scotland-wide projects to help improve uptake including distribution of leaflets. For example NHS Fife produced a DVD targeted at women with learning difficulties and this has now been shared with all NHS boards. In addition to national activities all NHS boards undertake local awareness raising in the areas where the mobile units are planning to visit. GP practices also actively engage women when their patient list is to be screened.

Cancer

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether oncology services were suspended at Raigmore Hospital in December 2009 and, if so, for what reason.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Highland has advised that chemotherapy and radiotherapy services were open throughout the entire period at Raigmore Hospital.

  The only exception was the routine planned closure of the Macmillan outpatient chemotherapy unit and radiotherapy department on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The board has assured us that these closures are planned well in advance. Staff at the unit discuss treatment plans with the patients and can arrange for anyone still requiring chemotherapy on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day, to attend the Oncology/Haematology Ward for their treatment, as the ward is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Community Councils

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what outcomes and objectives it has agreed with the Association of Scottish Community Councils in each of the last five years.

John Swinney: The association are required to submit a three year funding bid which sets out the outcomes and objectives the association wish to take forward. The current outcomes and objectives are for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11, with the continued level of funding to fulfil these currently considered and reviewed on an annual basis. Specific outcomes and objectives are formally confirmed annually by letter. This information is not currently published centrally, however, copies of the most recent letters will be made available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50126).

  General outcomes and objectives covered include:

  Maintenance of a national insurance scheme for community councils;

  Holding three to four regional meetings per annum;

  Participation in key Scottish Government working groups, and

  Employment of a Development Officer.

Community Councils

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many and which agreed outcomes and objectives have been met by the Association of Scottish Community Councils in each of the last five years and where this is published.

John Swinney: Each quarter the association submit a report on progress against agreed outcomes and objectives. This information is not currently published, however, I am arranging for copies of the reports we hold since the beginning of the 2008-09 financial year to be placed in The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50125).

Community Councils

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive who the (a) chair, (b) treasurer and (c) secretary of the Association of Scottish Community Councils has been in each of the last five years.

John Swinney: The information provided by the association show that the following individuals have held the posts in the last five years:

  

 Current:
 President:
 Vincent Waters


 Secretary:
 Francis Gunning


 Treasurer:
 Nick Walker


 2009
 President:
 Francis Gunning


 Secretary:
 Vincent Waters


 Treasurer:
 Nick Walker


 2008
 President:
 Francis Gunning


 Secretary:
 Vincent Waters


 Treasurer:
 William McGee 


 2007
 President:
 Francis Gunning


 Secretary:
 Vincent Waters


 Treasurer:
 William McGee 


 2006
 President:
 Robert Gordon-Adams


 Secretary:
 Vincent Waters


 Treasurer:
 William McGee 


 2005
 President:
 Andrew Scobie


 Secretary:
 Douglas Murray


 Treasurer:
 Ian Gordon

Constitution

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many officials are working on the drafting of the proposed Referendum Bill.

Bruce Crawford: The Office of the Scottish Parliamentary Counsel drafts all government bills and is responsible for drafting of the proposed Referendum Bill.

Constitution

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) cost to date is and (b) estimated final cost will be of drafting the proposed Referendum Bill.

Bruce Crawford: The drafting of the Referendum Bill is being carried out by the Office of the Scottish Parliamentary Counsel, which drafts all government bills as part of its normal duties. There are therefore no separate drafting costs.

Crime

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the findings of the BBC Scotland investigation, The Buckfast Code, that Buckfast tonic wine was mentioned in 5,638 crime reports in Strathclyde from 2006 to 2009, equating to three a day on average, that one in 10 of those offences was violent and that the bottle was used as a weapon 114 times in that period.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the comments of Superintendent Bob Hamilton of Strathclyde Police who suggested that the figures relating to the number of crime reports that mentioned Buckfast tonic wine by name demonstrated an association between it and violence.

Kenny MacAskill: The statistics provided to the BBC by Strathclyde police indicate that:

  There were 5,638 crimes in 2008-09 in which the word "Buckfast" was mentioned, out of a total of 424,589 recorded crimes and offences. This equates to 1.3% of the total.

  The 448 mentions of "Buckfast" in reports of murders, attempted murders, serious assaults and common assaults in 2008-09, out of a total of 7,483 violent offences. That equates to 6% of the total. Of these 114 involved the use of a Buckfast bottle as a weapon. This equates to 1.5% of the total,

  Following the BBC documentary, DCS John Carnochan QPM, Head of Violence Reduction Unit, has commented that "while we focus on a single brand we neglect the real issue, which is that excessive and harmful use of alcohol - whatever the brand - is crippling Scotland via a whole host of social problems, of which violence is just one. I have no doubt that by reducing access to alcohol we will reduce violence, but this means all alcohol, not one single brand."

  Scottish Government agrees and that is why we have introduced a package of measures to help reduce alcohol consumption in Scotland as a whole. We are also funding research on alcohol and offenders.

Dairy Industry

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support has been provided to dairy farmers in Ayrshire during the recent adverse weather conditions.

Richard Lochhead: I have set up a short life working group to assess the extent of the damage caused by the recent adverse weather conditions to farm buildings across Scotland and make recommendations to ministers.

Electricity

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in addition to the responses given to the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on 13 January 2010 and in light of a subsequent meeting between ministers and Scottish and Southern Energy, under what circumstances additional statutory consents will be required to allow the proposed Beauly to Denny power line development to proceed.

Jim Mather: All works in connection with the Beauly to Denny overhead line must be undertaken in accordance with the original application and with the Environmental Statement (including its Addenda). I do not anticipate that, in seeking to construct the new 400kV line, dismantle the existing 132kV line or comply with the various conditions of consent, the developers will require additional planning consents. However, until the developers come forward with detailed plans which are approved by Scottish ministers, it is not possible to state definitively whether any consents will be required, and if so, their nature.

  If other statutory consents are required by legislation then they will have to be obtained by the developers. This is a normal and common occurrence in the planning and energy consenting process.

Employment

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-27950 by Fiona Hyslop on 26 October 2009, when the report by Skills Development Scotland on the number of people aged 16 to 19 in the 15% most deprived areas who have secured employment or training will be made available.

Keith Brown: This is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you with this information.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were cancelled by the NHS in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) from 1 April to 31 December 2009 and for what reasons.

Nicola Sturgeon: The specific information requested is not available centrally.

  Information, although limited, is available on the number of hospital stays where operation or procedure were not carried out following admission to hospital. The number of cancelled operations or procedures by NHSScotland in 2007-08 and 2008-09 and for the period 1 April to 30 September 2009, the latest available data is provided in the following table.

  It is not possible from centrally held data to identify specific reasons for the cancellations. Operations may be cancelled due a number of reasons such as a particularly high level of emergency admissions, staff sickness, patient is unfit for treatment on admission or the patient has failed to follow pre-admission advice such as fasting before admission.

  NHSScotland: Number of Cancelled Operations/Procedures1,2

  

 Date
 


 2007-08
 14,455


 2008-09
 15,932


 1 April to 30 September 2009
 7,922



  Source: ISD Scotland - information derived from non-obstetric and non-psychiatric hospitals.

  Notes:

  1. Up to six diagnoses (one principal and five secondary) are recorded on SMR01 returns. All six diagnoses positions have been used to identify cancelled operations. The following International Statistical Classifications of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD -10) code has been used to identify cancelled operations/procedures – Z53; person encountering health services for specific procedure not carried out.

  2. Cases were an operation or procedure was cancelled prior to the patient being admitted to hospital are excluded.

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will legislate on proposals regarding landlord registration in the Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group Consultation Recommendations Report, December 2009 .

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government established the Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group to provide advice on the development of a professional, high quality private rented sector. The first phase of the group’s work ended with the publication of its consultation recommendations report. This makes recommendations to ministers on proposals, relating to landlord registration and other issues, which the Group considers should be the subject of public consultation, with a view to their inclusion in primary legislation. We are currently working on a possible consultation. Decisions on legislation would, of course, be dependent on the outcome of a consultation and the availability of a legislative opportunity.

Local Government

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with East Ayrshire Council with regard to the council’s capital spending programme.

John Swinney: Discussions on local government finance are taken forward through COSLA, acting on behalf of all local authorities. The Scottish Government is in regular contact with COSLA to discuss a range of issues, including provision for capital spending.

Parliamentary Questions

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-27902, which received a holding reply on 29 October 2009.

John Swinney: Parliamentary question S3W-27902 was answered on 25 January 2010.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Planning

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates it has made of the economic impact of a 22% reduction in funding for town planning courses.

Stewart Stevenson: Officials from the Directorate for the Built Environment have met with representatives of Scotland’s planning schools on a number of occasions at which the matter has been discussed. The chief planner is scheduled to meet with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council to highlight concerns raised.

Planning

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of a 22% reduction in funding for town planning courses on its targets for reducing carbon emissions in the built environment.

Stewart Stevenson: Officials from the Directorate for the Built Environment have met with representatives of Scotland’s planning schools on a number of occasions at which the matter has been discussed. The chief planner is scheduled to meet with the Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council to highlight concerns raised.

Poverty

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty in (i) 1997, (ii) 2007 and (iii) the last year for which figures are available.

Alex Neil: During the financial year 1997-98 one million people (20% of the population) were in relative poverty (before housing costs) and 1,060,000 people (21% of the population) in Scotland were in absolute poverty (before housing costs).

  The financial year 2007-08 is the last year for which figures are currently available. During this year 860,000 people (17% of the population) were in relative poverty (before housing costs) and 560,000 people (11% of the population) were in absolute poverty (before housing costs).

Rail Services

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to have discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government over the potential for direct rail services between Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Stewart Stevenson: We have no plans to discuss this issue with the Welsh Assembly Government.

  The Department for Transport is responsible for awarding franchises for cross border services in the UK.

Schools

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether secondary schools receiving funding under the school building programme are being replaced on a like-for-like basis, including space for sports and community centres, and, if not, what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Michael Russell: The offer of Scottish Government funding has been made on a like for like basis of current facilities. Where possible, and within the parameters of the school building programme’s overall budget, I have asked that the Scottish Futures Trust are flexible to local circumstances.

  Discussions between individual councils are ongoing with the Scottish Futures Trust and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on this process at this stage.

Sexual Abuse

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of sexual assault in which the alleged victim was aged 10 and under have (a) been made and (b) resulted in proceedings in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold individualised data on any crimes or offences recorded by the eight police forces in Scotland, and as such does not hold information on the victims of crimes, such as the age of the victim.

  The Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database does not contain information on the age of victims.

Sexual Abuse

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of sexual assault in which the alleged victim was aged 10 and under have related to incidents involving a (a) stranger outwith and (b) relative or family friend in the home in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold individualised data on any crimes or offences recorded by the eight police forces in Scotland, and as such does not hold information on the victims of crimes, such as the age of the victim or the relationship with the perpetrator.

Timber Industry

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of the recent adverse weather conditions on the timber industry in (a) Scotland and (b) Ayrshire.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether support will be provided to the timber industry in light of the recent adverse weather conditions.

Roseanna Cunningham: The recent adverse weather has meant considerable difficulties accessing and working harvesting sites and in getting supplies from the forest to processing and biomass plants across Scotland, including Ayrshire. Forestry Commission Scotland has been working closely with forest industry representatives over recent weeks to maintain the flow of timber from the forest to the mills.

  Forestry Commission Scotland has put in place measures to maximise the volumes of timber delivered, both on the national forest estate and in the private sector by encouraging harvesting on accessible sites close to public roads to maintain supplies. Forestry Commission Scotland will continue to work with the forest industries to minimise the disruption caused to harvesting and haulage operations and this year’s planting programmes.

Wildlife

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether snares are commonly used by scientists.

Roseanna Cunningham: Snares are commonly used by scientists for the capture of wild animals, such as rural foxes, as when used in accordance with best practice, they allow for target and non target species to be released unharmed. The Defra report published in 2005 called "Report of the Independent Working Group on Snares" also mentions that snares are used in the capture of a range of wild animals for research purposes.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has the power to initiate court action in relation to a complaint referred to the SPSO.

Mike Pringle: The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 does not confer power on the ombudsman to initiate court action in relation to a complaint referred to the SPSO.